Distribución, variabilidad estacional y bioacumulación de metales pesados en agua, sedimentos y vegetación en pueblo nuevo Lircay, Huancavelica: Distribution, Seasonal Variability, and Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Water, Sediments, and Vegetation in Pueblo Nuevo Lircay, Huancavelica

Gabriel Ramírez-Huincho; Andrés Zósimo Ñahui-Gaspar; Johnnathan Ruber Vilcapoma-Juño; Demetrio Soto-Carbajal

doi:10.53942/srjcidi.v7i11.324

Distribution, Seasonal Variability, and Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Water, Sediments, and Vegetation in Pueblo Nuevo Lircay, Huancavelica

Distribución, variabilidad estacional y bioacumulación de metales pesados en agua, sedimentos y vegetación en pueblo nuevo Lircay, Huancavelica

Authors

Gabriel Ramírez-Huincho Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica, Perú
Andrés Zósimo Ñahui-Gaspar Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica, Perú
Johnnathan Ruber Vilcapoma-Juño Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0714-4440
Demetrio Soto-Carbajal Universidad Nacional de Huancavelica, Perú

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53942/srjcidi.v7i11.324

Keywords:

heavy metals, surface water, sediments, bioaccumulation, vegetation, mining activity

Abstract

The present study evaluated the spatial distribution, seasonal variability, and relationships among concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in surface water, sediments, and vegetation within a mining-influenced high-Andean area in Huancavelica, Peru. A quantitative approach was applied using a non-experimental longitudinal design, comparing two sampling campaigns: the rainy season (March 2025) and the dry season (August 2025).
The results revealed a differential behavior among environmental matrices. In water, Zn showed the highest exceedances relative to environmental quality standards during the dry season, associated with concentration processes due to reduced flow. In sediments, As reached the highest concentrations, particularly in the lagoon, confirming its role as a geochemical sink. Vegetation exhibited the strongest signal of environmental impact, with significant bioaccumulation of metals and exceedance of maximum tolerable values, especially for Cd and Pb.
It is concluded that the dynamics of heavy metals are strongly modulated by seasonality and the interaction among environmental matrices, highlighting the need for multicompartment monitoring in mining-influenced areas.